Crystal Cruises' Boeing 777-200LR-the Crystal Skye-has made its inaugural run from Hong Kong filled to guest capacity.
"We are extremely pleased and encouraged by the outstanding response for Crystal Skye's maiden voyage from Asia-a fully-booked, all-inclusive journey to Fiji and Tahiti-signaling strong demand from the region's most discriminating travelers," said Mr. Colin Au, Group President of Crystal parent company Genting Hong Kong, in a press release.
"We are also delighted to finally welcome Crystal Skye in Asia, a new milestone for Genting Hong Kong and Crystal Cruises, setting an even higher benchmark in global luxury travel and pushing the boundaries of bespoke vacation experiences."
Skye's first itinerary departed on October 1 on a 7-night all-inclusive trip costing $18,000. Included in the voyage are fine hotel accommodations, dining and beverages, entertainment, transfers and Air Butler service.
"Crystal Skye takes the spirit of cruising to the clouds with seamlessly indulgent luxury and comfort, combining Crystal's award-winning personal service with innovative design showcasing an opulent interior highlighted by elegant, world-class amenities," added Mr. Au.
Onboard, up to 88 guests will find a social lounge and stand-up bar, custom Crystal Exclusive Class lie-flat seats, entertainment, cuisine from Executive Chef François Van Zyl collaborating with Master Chef Chan Kwok Keung and fine wines from the Crystal SkyCellar.
Originally designed for prescheduled AirCruises, the Crystal Skye was retooled before launch for charters only. In fact, we had a chance to talk exclusively with then-CEO and President Edie Rodriguez about the change in plans.
The twin-aisle private jet can be booked for one to 28 days with non-stop segments up to 19.5 hours in length. This affords guests the opportunity to plot out routes among the likes of London and New York City, Igauzu Falls, Argentina and Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aries. Once there, Destination Experiences are available to make the most of each.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Crystal AirCruises Charters Customization[/READMORE]
However, pre-planned itineraries are once again optional as well. Coming up, the aircraft will set out on a six-night, Masa Mara, Kenya Safari journey in February for the Lunar New Year holidays, for example.
While going to the domestic Crystal AirCruises website will only describe the charter choices, a link heads to the new Crystal AirCruises Asia page. There a handful of curated itineraries are detailed including Cultural Capitals, Food & Wine Greats and Resort to Renaissance. None are specifically dated, though, so they can be presumably selected any time during the year.
As a taste of what can be expected, the 10-day Food & Wine Greats one includes multi-day stops at Cape Town, Africa; Pisa, Italy and San Sebastian, Spain roundtrip from Hong Kong/Macau, China. Highlights extend to Cape Town's cabernets, merlots, shirazes and other varieties, as well as Tuscan wines, Italian vineyards and San Sebastian's Taste Rioja vintages.
Crystal Skye is operated for Crystal AirCruise by Comlux Aruba NV.
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